5th grade: a year of reading, reasoning and discovering
A complete, free fifth grade plan for parents and teachers: 36 weeks and about 180 school days of reading, writing, math, science and U.S. history, built around hands-on investigations and short daily blocks that add up to about 4 to 4 1/2 hours.
Find today’s plan
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The year
Every month from September to June has day-by-day plans with steps, materials, standards and a printable page, plus a month overview and a plan for each week.
- SeptemberWelcome / My Country and MapsWeeks 1–4Day-by-day plans
- OctoberFall / Ecosystems and EnergyWeeks 5–8Day-by-day plans
- NovemberFamily and Gratitude / Earth's SystemsWeeks 9–11Day-by-day plans
- DecemberWinter Holidays / Chemical ChangesWeeks 12–14Day-by-day plans
- JanuaryNew Year / Space and GravityWeeks 15–18Day-by-day plans
- FebruaryFriendship / Human ImpactWeeks 19–22Day-by-day plans
- MarchSpring / Matter CyclesWeeks 23–26Day-by-day plans
- AprilEarth and Environment / Renewable ResourcesWeeks 27–30Day-by-day plans
- MayOceans / Inventors and TechnologyWeeks 31–34Day-by-day plans
- JuneReview and CelebrationWeeks 35–36Day-by-day plans
A 5th grade day
Every day plan follows the same order, so children know what comes next. Short on time? Do the morning meeting, phonics, reading and math (about 75 minutes), and fold science or social studies into the read-aloud.
| Time block | How long | What happens |
|---|---|---|
| Morning meeting | 10–15 min | Calendar, question of the day and a quick fluency warm-up |
| Word study | 15–20 min | Syllable patterns, prefixes, suffixes, Greek and Latin roots and weekly spelling |
| Reading workshop | 35–45 min | Read-aloud, close reading, discussion and the reading notebook |
| Math | 50–60 min | Mini-lesson, guided practice, independent problems and a math center |
| Science or social studies | 30–40 min | Investigations, models, maps and primary sources (both, shorter, on Day 5) |
| Writing | 30–40 min | Narrative, informative and opinion writing with revising and publishing |
| Centers and independent practice | 25–30 min | Practice stations, independent reading and 15 minutes of a Wonderscape game |
| Closing circle | 5–10 min | Reflect, share and set a goal for tomorrow |
Every child, every level
If reading is hard
Read the text aloud first, then reread it together. Preview key words by their roots, use audiobooks for chapter books and let your child answer out loud before writing. Keep the thinking at grade level even when the reading is supported.
If math is hard
Go back to models: place value charts, hundredths grids, fraction strips and number lines. Estimate before solving, keep a facts chart nearby and do fewer problems with more talk about why each step works.
Tips for grown-ups
- Ask How do you know? more often than What is the answer? Explaining builds real understanding of fractions, decimals and science ideas.
- Read every day, and keep reading aloud together. Fifth graders still learn a lot from hearing books read with expression.
- Connect math to real life: cook with fractions, shop with decimals and measure the volume of boxes at home.
- Let your child make a prediction before every experiment. A wrong prediction is a great chance to learn.
- Keep a writing folder and look back at old pieces together each month so your child can see real growth.
Next: 2nd grade. Ready for what comes after 5th grade? See the 2nd grade year plan.